I lead VentureBeat’s coverage on social media news, but also cover news and industry trends in e-commerce and mobile.

Previously, I was a senior reporter at Mashable. I also have experience in broadcast television and introduced social media reporting to the NBC San Diego newsroom.

I hold a Bachelor of Arts in English from UCLA.

You can find me pretty much anywhere on the web under the handle “jbruin.” I often tweet, instagram, facebook, and path on tech and the world at large. Sometimes I get a little NSFW on these channels, so consider yourself warned.

I also abide by VentureBeat’s Ethics Statement. I don’t hold stock in any company that I cover and I don’t accept gifts of any kind for coverage (though I do possess some startup swag collected from parties and such over the years). On occasion, companies send me samples and test products, but I disclose these details in stories whenever applicable. I do have a Bruin-bred bias against USC, a fact that causes more conflict in my personal life than it does in my reporting.

stories by Jennifer Van Grove

The 10 largest tech IPOs of 2012

Facebook may have been the IPO that people everywhere anticipated and then lamented, but 2012 was largely defined by a series of stellar public debuts by enterprise software markers.

The top 10 social-media stories that shaped 2012

With outlandish lawsuits, a botched IPO, and a detailed social record of historic world events, 2012 will be remembered as a year of extreme highs and lows in social media. Here are the top 10 social stories that defined the year.

Oh, snap! Facebook launches Poke, an iPhone app for self-destructing messages

Facebook has decided to try its hand at self-destructing messages with the release of Facebook Poke for iPhone.

Ready to kiss and make up, Instagram releases new filter and support for 25 languages

Ending a rocky week on a high note, Instagram released new and improved versions of its applications for iPhone and Android.

The big risk behind Eloqua’s sale to Oracle

Eloqua's surprise sale to Oracle comes just four months after its initial public offering and follows a strong third quarter. So, why now?

Facebook tweaks Messages with inbox filters and tests pay-to-deliver option

What messages do you want see in your Facebook Messages inbox? The social network hopes to answer that question with new filtering options.

Facebook improves mobile app install ads, makes downloads seamless for iOS users

Facebook today made its mobile app install ads infinitely more attractive to app makers who want to pay to increase their downloads.

Instagram founder distorted the truth to expedite Facebook deal

Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom played a dicey game of semantics in order to expedite the close of the deal between his company and Facebook.

Why did Airbnb just buy Localmind? Local expertise

Locals know best. That's the reason Airbnb just acquired Localmind, an expert at connecting inquisitive travelers to locals in the know.

New York City approves controversial taxi e-hail pilot program

The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) today decided the temporary fate of forward-thinking startups such as Uber, Hailo, and GetTaxi looking to modernize the city’s taxi system.

At a meeting in New York this morning, the commission …

Twitter who? Instagram cozies up to places pal Foursquare

Days after giving the finger to Twitter, Instagram has puckered up to give life-long places partner Foursquare a big, wet kiss.

Unlike Instagram, Flickr latches on to Twitter

The Yahoo-owned Flickr, alongside the release of a brand new app for iPhone, threw in support for Twitter Cards this morning, bringing its newly filtered captures to tweets near you.

Facebook makes site-wide changes to put privacy controls in context

Believe it or not, but Facebook is introducing simpler, more accessible privacy controls to help you keep certain aspects of your digital life private.

With new look, Bing’s social sidebar finally starts to make sense

Following cosmetic and content improvements, Bing's solution to socially enhanced search doesn't look so bad anymore.

As Instagram exits Twitter, Pinterest pins arrive inside tweets (updated)

It's not exactly a tit-for-tat swap, but around the same time Instagram photos were stricken from the Twitter experience Pinterest pins started appearing inside tweets.